This could actually be pretty good.
I've been trying hard not to get a pessimistic attidute on this trip, and believe me, it has been a challenge many times. Like today, for instance. I wake up in Nîmes, France this morning, having spent the previous evening in a beautiful Roman colloseum seeing Arctic Monkeys and Arcade Fire perform. Naturally, my spirits were high as I went downstairs this morning to collect the breakfast I had paid 4 euro for the previous day. Oh, did you say breakfast was over at 9:30? Hm, nobody told me that yesterday. Well, is there anything you can give me? Oh, OK, a piece of bread and some weak coffee. Boy, that was good. Totally worth nearly $6 US. May I use the internet now, so I can get directions to my next hostel? Oh, 1 euro for 15 minutes? OK, let's see where this next hostel is. Oh, I have to call somebody to let me in because you don't post the address? OK, let me write down a page full of instructions first. Oh, you say I need to bring my own sheets? OK, that'll be a problem.
This was all before noon.
I've had many days like that, where it seems like every move I make is an overpriced fiasco. Maybe I'm not suited for travelling like this, or maybe I need another person or two with me to share some of the responsibility. Who knows. At any rate, I'm here and I'm not giving up. You think I'm going to let France get the better of me?
Anyway, this morning made me grouchy all over again, as I took the high-speed train north to Paris. I got out of the train station and called the number of this hostel. A nice woman picked up, gave me a few directions for the subway, and said two guys from Finland would meet me at the station to show me the apartment. Wait... apartment? Turns out I'm not going to a hostel, but one of several little apartments all over the city, each with 4 to 6 beds, and a full kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
So fast forward one hour, where I am sitting in my cute little Paris apartment in Montmartre. I've got ten days in this city, and this could actually be pretty good.
2 comments:
Huzzah!
Yeah, we'll see about that. I took a closer look around and saw that the light doesn't work in the bedroom, and when they say you need to bring your own sheets for the bed, that means you really should put sheets down on the bed... if you know what I mean. Ew.
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